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Boris Johnson: UK should not pay 'large sums' for EU trade access Boris Johnson: UK should not pay 'large sums' for EU trade access
(35 minutes later)
There is no reason why the UK should have to pay "large amounts" to the EU to continue trading with it after Brexit, Boris Johnson has said. There is no reason why the UK should have to pay "large" sums to the EU to continue trading with it after Brexit, Boris Johnson has said.
The idea of the UK paying for tariff-free access to the EU's internal market has been mooted in recent days.The idea of the UK paying for tariff-free access to the EU's internal market has been mooted in recent days.
The foreign secretary told the BBC this was "speculation" and while he could see the UK paying for some EU schemes, any contributions had to be "sensible". The foreign secretary told the BBC this was "speculation" and while he could see the UK funding some EU initiatives, any payments had to be "sensible".
Brexit talks could "get hairy" but the EU remained fond of the UK, he added. Critics say leaving the single market would be an "act of self-harm".
Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said remaining in the single market of 500 million customers was the "least economically disruptive form of Brexit", and, in return for this, the UK should be granted powers for an "emergency brake" on migration from the EU.
Negotiations on the terms of exit from the EU will not officially begin until the UK begins the Article 50 process - which Theresa May has said will happen by the end of March.Negotiations on the terms of exit from the EU will not officially begin until the UK begins the Article 50 process - which Theresa May has said will happen by the end of March.
'Partnership''Partnership'
Pressed on suggestions by his cabinet colleague, the Brexit secretary David Davis, that the UK might be willing to pay for tariff-free access to the single market, Mr Johnson - who was a prominent Leave campaigner - said he was not "going to get into the minutiae" before negotiations began.Pressed on suggestions by his cabinet colleague, the Brexit secretary David Davis, that the UK might be willing to pay for tariff-free access to the single market, Mr Johnson - who was a prominent Leave campaigner - said he was not "going to get into the minutiae" before negotiations began.
"That is something that obviously David Davis is considering. It doesn't mean that a decision has been taken," he said."That is something that obviously David Davis is considering. It doesn't mean that a decision has been taken," he said.
The EU, he insisted, wanted a "partnership" with the UK and that would involve a degree of mutual co-operation, for instance the UK continuing to partly funding the Erasmus education exchange scheme . The EU, he insisted, wanted a "partnership" with the UK and that would involve a degree of mutual co-operation, for instance the UK continuing to partly funding the Erasmus education exchange scheme.
But he hinted that this would not extend to actually paying to have to access to the common rules of the single market, without any penalties or extra levies.But he hinted that this would not extend to actually paying to have to access to the common rules of the single market, without any penalties or extra levies.
"I have given you an indication of the kind of payments that I think might be sensible," he told Andrew Marr."I have given you an indication of the kind of payments that I think might be sensible," he told Andrew Marr.
"My own view is that I see no reason why those payments should be large. And I do see a big opportunity for us to spend the money we are getting back on other priorities.""My own view is that I see no reason why those payments should be large. And I do see a big opportunity for us to spend the money we are getting back on other priorities."
The government has yet to set out its negotiating objectives in detail but ministers are coming under growing pressure to avoid a so-called "hard Brexit" - a term coined by Remain supporters to describe what they say would be the impact of the UK giving up its membership of the single market.The government has yet to set out its negotiating objectives in detail but ministers are coming under growing pressure to avoid a so-called "hard Brexit" - a term coined by Remain supporters to describe what they say would be the impact of the UK giving up its membership of the single market.
In the wake of the Lib Dems' Richmond by-election victory, a group of Tory MPs has warned that any trading arrangement which restricts UK businesses and consumers could alienate core Conservative voters and cost the party the next general election.In the wake of the Lib Dems' Richmond by-election victory, a group of Tory MPs has warned that any trading arrangement which restricts UK businesses and consumers could alienate core Conservative voters and cost the party the next general election.
'Startled' Brexit supporters say continued membership of the single market is only possible if the UK continues to accept rules on the free movement of EU citizens and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice - which they say is unacceptable.
The EU is under pressure in many quarters to drive a hard bargain with the UK, with the Maltese prime minister saying last week that the settlement agreed had to be "inferior" to the one it currently had within the EU. 'Control back'
But Mr Johnson dismissed suggestions the UK would be punished for voting out, saying that while the Brexit vote had "startled" the rest of Europe and there had been "intemperate language" from some officials, it was not in Europe's interests to hurt the UK. Mr Johnson said Brexit presented the chance to "take back control of our borders, to take back control of quite large sums of money, not to be run by the European Court - so not to have EU law in this country, and fourthly... to be able to do free trade deals".
The EU is under pressure in many quarters to drive a hard bargain with the UK but Mr Johnson dismissed suggestions the UK would be punished for voting out.
"It may get pretty hairy at times and there may be some difficult bits, but beneath it all there is a massive fondness for the UK and a desire to do the best possible deal.""It may get pretty hairy at times and there may be some difficult bits, but beneath it all there is a massive fondness for the UK and a desire to do the best possible deal."
In a wide-ranging interview, Mr Johnson also defended his stance on free movement rules, saying it was possible for the UK reduce migration to a "reasonable level" while remaining an "open and dynamic economy". Ahead of Monday's Supreme Court hearing into whether Parliament has to formally approve the start of Brexit talks, Mr Johnson also said there was no precedent for Parliament for "fettering the discretion" of governments in EU treaty negotiations.
And ahead of Monday's Supreme Court hearing into whether Parliament has to formally approve the start of Brexit talks, he said there was no precedent for Parliament for "fettering the discretion" of governments in EU treaty negotiations. Speaking on the same show, Labour's shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer said the choice was between an "isolated, hard Brexit and a collaborative, co-operative Brexit".
Speaking on the same programme, Labour's shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer said the choice facing the UK was now between an "isolated, hard Brexit and a collaborative, co-operative Brexit". While Labour would not stand in the way of triggering Article 50, he said it would oppose a deal which resulted in an "arms-length" relationship with the single market.
While Labour would not stand in the way of triggering Article 50, he said it would oppose a deal which resulted in an "arms-length" relationship with the single market as this would hurt both UK businesses and consumers. Mr Clegg, now Lib Dem EU spokesman, told the BBC's Sunday Politics he would oppose Brexit unless single market membership and a referendum on the final deal were guaranteed.